


we’ll do this again (and better this time)

by fallingintodivinity



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Endgame, M/M, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Pre-Slash, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-07 07:57:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18616438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallingintodivinity/pseuds/fallingintodivinity
Summary: When Steve leaves to return the infinity stones to their rightful place in time and doesn’t return straight away, Sam can’t, in all honesty, say that he’s surprised.[Avengers: Endgamecoda with an alternate ending. Warning for Endgame spoilers.]





	we’ll do this again (and better this time)

 

When Steve leaves to return the infinity stones to their rightful place in time and doesn’t return straight away, Sam can’t, in all honesty, say that he’s surprised.

He’d seen the look in Steve’s eyes just before he’d suited up for quantum travel. It’s a look that’s been there ever since Tony Stark died: grief and loneliness and regret…and buried deep beneath that, just the barest, tiniest flicker of hope.

It’s the memory of that flash of naked pain in Steve’s eyes that has panic bubbling hot in Sam’s gut even as he’s shouting wildly at Bruce to bring Steve back, _bring him the hell back_ , because Steve doesn’t rush blindly into things – surely, _surely_ he’s fine, he _has_ to be –

When Sam finally notices the man sitting by the lake, back facing him, he stops short, breath catching in his throat with a sudden, wild flare of hope.

He glances over at Bucky, who nods at him. They approach the man – Steve? – warily.

“Cap?”

The man turns – it _is_ Steve: a Steve who's a few years older, hair just going silver at the temples and face gently lined, but still with the same bright blue eyes and kind smile that Sam knows so well.

As startling as it is to see this older Steve, his age isn’t the first thing Sam notices about him. It’s the absence of the little lines of worry and regret around his eyes, so much a fixture of his expression in the past five years that they’re startling now in their absence.

Steve looks content. He looks _happy_.

Sam raises an eyebrow in question, and Steve smiles.

“After I put the stones back,” he explains, “I thought, well…maybe I’d go try living the kind of life Tony always told me to get." He pauses, cheeks pink, biting his lip almost bashfully. "The life I’d always...wanted, but never had the courage to ask for.”

When he reaches over to pick up what’s obviously his shield, long unused and lovingly packed up in a worn leather case, the sunlight reflects off a ring on his fourth finger, a plain silver band.

Sam tilts his head at his friend, a smile tugging at his lips, and he decides to hazard a guess, although he’s already pretty sure what the answer’s going to be.

“Want to tell us about him, then?” he asks teasingly.

Steve smiles, then blushes and ducks his head, suddenly shy. “Yeah, well,” he mumbles. “You two already know Tony. I just…” he pauses, taking a deep breath. “Well. Since I was already travelling to the past, and he was still alive, then…”

“Hey,” Sam says gently. “I’m really happy for you. We both are.”

“Yeah,” Bucky agrees, coming up behind Sam and resting one arm casually on Sam’s shoulder. Sam rolls his eyes and shoves Bucky’s arm off, which only results in Bucky pointedly leaning harder on him. Sam sighs, long-suffering, as Steve chuckles.

Bucky leans down, peering at Steve’s ring closely. “Is that vibranium?” he asks interestedly.

“Er,” Steve says.

Bucky snorts a laugh. “Typical,” he says, and Steve laughs out loud at that.

“Yeah,” he admits. “You should’ve seen what Tony did for the _wedding_.” He smiles, looking wistful. “I wish you two could’ve been there.”

“Yeah,” Sam says, squeezing Steve’s shoulder. “Us, too.” He grins at Steve, so damned happy for his friend; he can’t think of anyone who deserves a happy ending more. Steve's been pining after Tony Stark for _years_ and everyone - well, everyone but Steve - had noticed Tony looking right back; after giving up so much, it seems only right that the two of them finally got their happily ever after.

“The only thing I'm bummed out about,” Sam tells Steve, only half joking, “is having to live a life where there's no Captain America.”

When Steve picks up his shield and hands it to him, Sam’s mouth falls open in shock.

He’d never expected this, never even _considered_ it. And if he had, he would’ve expected _Bucky_ to be the one taking up the shield, not him.

Instinctively, he looks over at Bucky, who nods at him encouragingly. He’s completely unprepared for the frisson of heat that bubbles through him at the genuine _warmth_ in Bucky’s lingering glance, the pride and confidence – and the potential for maybe something more – in that look.

Bucky’s hand is warm on his shoulder, and Sam turns his face up to the sun, shutting his eyes for a brief moment.

Yeah, things turned out pretty okay in the end. Maybe better than okay, even.

It feels like a beginning.

 

End.

 


End file.
